The Sword of the Sages
by Tricky26
Summary: Auroch, the leader of a group called the Silver Sages, is searching for the four blades that when united, will create the sword to control Alchemy. But can they achieve the power before the Dark Paladins uncover the secret?
1. The Duel

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Before you read, this is my first serious fanfic. I've written others before, but none of them had more than 6 chapters. I plan to finish this one, for I have a lot of ideas in my head. I know it's not that great, but I'm doing my best and I'm having fun writing it. I think I'm supposed to say this, I'm new around here but um… I do not own Golden Sun, all of it is owned by Nintendo and Camelot…. So yeah, this is just a fan work and is not official in any way.

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**Chapter 1: The Duel**

_Everything is happening so quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was a Squire of the Silver Sages. But now, the Leader? It's all going by so fast. I joined the Silver Sages merely to help uncover the legend of the blade. Rumor has it that when the four blades are collected, Alchemy is at the hands of the wielder of the blade. The Gaia Blade, holding the power of Venus. The Crimson Blade, holding the power of Mars. The Sky Blade, holding the power of Jupiter. The Aqua Blade, holding the power of Mercury. Each sword enhances the user's power of the element, granting new abilites. But what happens when they're brought to the Alchemy Sanctum? People say something wonderful will happen. I joined the Silver Sages merely to help uncover the legendary blade. Also, I wished to stop the Dark Paladins from gaining the power too. They are the rivals of us Silver Sages. They're up to no good. We gotta stop them. Now that I'm the leader, this means I must compete against Neil! The leader of the Dark Paladins, Neil, has amazing strength. On top of that, his henchman Dante, is always following him around. Us Silver Sages cannot allow the power of the four swords fall into the hands of Neil._

Auroch leaned against the cold, grimy wall of the eerie corridor. He bent his head and thought. The world was going by so fast, it seemed. Auroch was a hybrid of two elements, for his father was a Jupiter Adept, his mother a Mercury. His parents bestowed him with the energy of both. His blonde, spiked hair was a beautiful sight. His blue eyes were that of a sapphire blue. His arms were bound with muscles, his body trained in the art of fighting. At his side rest a wonderful sword. The hilt was blue, encrusted with amazing rubies and gems. The blade was made of pure silver, and it was a medium sized length. The tip was highly sharp, and if Auroch merely applied pressure with his fingertip on it his skin would be pierced. His clothes were similar to that of Alex, the former leader of the Silver Sages. Auroch donned a blue tunic, tied with a belt. His holder was attached to the belt, which housed his sword. His pants were that of the silver color, with black boots on his feet. Unlike Alex, however, Auroch did not wear a cape. 

Auroch walked down the remaining length of the corridor. All that he could see was darkness ahead. He didn't even know why he was traveling down here. Maybe it was because he needed to be alone. Maybe he was searching for something. Maybe, he was just curious as to what was down the hallway. He pressed onward, the black void ahead slowly thinning. He walked slowly, because the ground was littered with debris and he did not want to trip and fall. His breath appeared in the air in front of him, it was quite cold below the headquarters. He had ventured into this area from a passageway he had discovered in his office. Never slowing, Auroch continued on.

He had reached the end of the path. A dirty, metal door was now in front of him. There was no window on the door. A rusty knob was at the right side. Auroch reached out his hand, and grasped the knob. The cold metal sent a chill through his body. He tentatively turned the knob, the creaking sound filled his ears ominously. Auroch swung the door opened and entered inside.

He found himself in an empty, circular room. This place still accompanied the cold temperature as the hallway had provided. The walls were made of bricks, and the floor was comprised of hard stones. 

_What the… is that… no… it can't be…_

There was a man standing in the center of the room. He wore a long, black cloak with long, silver hair. Golden gauntlets were upon his hands. He held a long sword that surely held power. 

"I see you've come… Auroch," the man said in a smooth voice. He raised his head, revealing the face of the mysterious figure.

"N-Neil?" Auroch trembled slightly as the words stumbled out of his mouth.

Neil smirked. "Yes. The leader of the Dark Paladins. I hear you're the leader of those Silver Sages, now that Alex has strangely gone missing."

"Yes… that's true. He just left without a trace," Auroch replied.

Neil approached Auroch at a slow pace. He held his long, strong sword at his side, his hands tightly gripping the handle. Auroch was more nervous than he looked.

_I can't show weakness to a man like him…_

Neil was right up to Auroch. The two had locked eyes with each other. Auroch's blue eyes stared into the ominous green eyes of Neil. All was silent. Auroch slowly moved his hand down to where his sword was held, and grasped hold of the blade. 

"Auroch… how about a little sword duel, hmm? Let me test the power of the new leader of the Silver Sages," Neil said, with a strong tone in his voice.

"You're on," Auroch replied. He was ready to show the true power of the Silver Sages.

The two assumed their positions. They stood a good length apart from each other. Auroch drew his sword, and held it crossed in front of his body. He bent his knees and rocked slightly back and forth on the balls of his feet. He was concentrated on this battle.

Neil held his sword at his side and bent his knees. He stood flat footed and looked at Auroch. He didn't know exactly how strong the youth would be, but he figured he would most likely win.

Neil opened his mouth and let the words out. "Begin."

Auroch started off the fight with a bang. He valiantly dashed at Neil, holding his sword vertically next to his body. His elbows were slightly bent so the sword was held at an angle, hoping to add momentum to his swing as he struck. He reached a good length from Neil where he should attack, and Auroch brought his weapon back and lashed out. With lightning quick reflexes Neil parried with his sword. The clanging sound of metal on metal echoed in the surroundings, leaving a chill through both competitors. Neil spun to the side, twirling his sword in the process. He spun his body with his sword outstretched, hoping to lay down the hurt on Auroch. With amazing coordination, Auroch could sense the sound of the blade slicing through the air. He anticipated what would happen, and did a nimble backflip and soared over the menacing strike. He quickly attacked before Neil could react. Auroch struck Neil on the shoulder, leaving a large wound. He pulled out his blood-stained sword. The dark, red blood was drizzling down the polished silver blade. Neil let out a cry of pain, and dropped his sword to cover the wound with his other hand. He applied strong pressure to his cut, and pulled his hand away. The skin was damp with blood, and his clothing was soaked from the blood also. Luckily for Neil it was not his fencing shoulder that was injured. As Auroch went in for another stab, Neil evaded the attack and picked up his sword. 

Auroch stood delayed in the position he was in, his blade stabbing through the air. Neil took this opportunity for a dirty hit. He charged at Auroch, and he held his sword at his side, but held it close to the ground. As he was a couple of feet ahead of Auroch, he unleashed his might. He swung the mighty sword diagonally in the opposite direction, slashing through the vulnerable tender backside of Auroch. Auroch screamed as he fell forward. His clothing was torn and the blood spurted through the air. He had a cut the entire diagonal length of his back. Auroch could feel the warm blood leaking down his sides. He dropped his sword; the metal hitting the cold stones created another echo. 

He lay on the ground, defeated.


	2. The Meeting

**Chapter 2: The Meeting**

"Don't worry. You'll get better soon… just relax and don't get into too much physical activity," Mia said, gently rubbing a cloth on Auroch's head. Isaac, the Praetor of the Silver Sages, had wandered down into the same corridor Auroch had ventured into. Only the Leader, Praetor, and Head Investigator were allowed in the office of the Leader. Isaac notified the medical team, and they rushed him to the hospital wing.

Auroch slowly opened his eyes. The bright light hurt his eyes, but he managed to keep them opened. The first thing he saw was Mia's soothing smile. It was reassuring to him, as he was still rather confused. After all, he had just lost a duel against Neil.

"Your back still has a large wound on it. I've cast Ply and gave you some herbs, but it's still there. I even used Spritz, but no use. You'll just have to keep it easy for a few days," Mia comfortingly said. 

"Alright, thanks. If anything serious comes up, I'll have Isaac do the work for me," Auroch replied.

"What exactly were you doing down there, anyways?" Mia asked, wanting to know more. When she heard he was down there, she was immediately intrigued.

"Well, I guess you could say I was just exploring this place. There are so many places a Leader can go that the other ranks can't," Auroch said, shrugging his shoulders as he talked.

"Auroch… I heard someone say… that Neil was down there. Is that true? Is that how you got hurt?" Concern was in Mia's face as she spoke softly.

"Yeah, you heard right. We had a little sword duel, and I lost," Auroch meekly said. He didn't seem very proud of the fact.

"How did he get down there? Nevermind, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be asking you all these questions. I'm only a nurse."

"No, it's okay. But I'm afraid I don't know the answers. I wish I did, though. There are so many things I don't know. I hope Ivan found out some information. I didn't make him Head Investigator for nothing."

_There are so many things I don't know. What happened to Alex? Why did he suddenly disappear? He was the best leader we've ever had. He had bravery, wisdom, and strength. Something happened to him. Something serious. I bet it involves Neil and Dante. And then the more frightening fact: How did Neil get in that room? Is there an outdoor passage? I'm going to need to find out how he got there. Tomorrow, there could be a huge siege on this place. When one knows the location, everyone knows. _

_This is such as difficult time for us. I really haven't been with us that long. I don't completely know what I'm doing. But I'll do my best. I won't give up. I will not fail the Silver Sages._

"Yeah. Ivan is very reliable on finding information. Anyways, I think you're ready to leave the hospital now. Remember, get well rested, eat right, and no more dueling!" Mia said, laughing.

Auroch smiled and then began to laugh. "Yeah, you're right," Auroch said. "I'm going to talk to some people. Thanks for everything, Mia." Auroch gathered up his things and headed out of the hospital wing.

"See ya, Auroch! I hope you shed some light on this situation," Mia said, waving goodbye as Auroch left.

Auroch swung open the door and proceeded into the hallway. At his first left he turned and headed down the next part. He was heading towards the Meeting Hall. Isaac would be there, and so would Ivan. Sheba, another investigator, would also be there. Sephirus was also expected to show up. He was relatively new to the group. 

Sephirus has silver hair. His hair is longer than most men wear it, however it does not interfere with his sight. His eyes are a deep blue, which is strange because most of his family has green eyes. He has a loose, one piece outfit which is colored in a brilliant imperial blue. Silver buttons line the front middle of it. He has a slim build, but is incredibly agile which has most likely developed from fighting of neighborhood fiends with only a wooden stick. He isn't very tall, only at a height of 5 feet, 9 inches. His clothing actually was similar to Auroch; the color scheme was pretty much the same. Sephirus is the Silver Sage's top spy. Although he hasn't done it yet, his job is to infiltrate the Dark Paladin's HQ. He's amazingly agile so he can avoid danger. Auroch has a strong trust in that man.

Auroch finally reached the meeting area. He opened the doors and surprisingly found that everyone was already there. He let out a faint smile and quickly sat down.

"Nice to see you here, Auroch. We have some very important things to discuss," Isaac said. His tone was very serious. Ivan must have found something.

Sheba was the first to speak. "Auroch, Ivan and I have found some startling information. It explains why Neil was in here, how he got here, and even gives clues to Alex's whereabouts. We're hoping we can unveil more clues in the coming days." Auroch nodded his head as she spoke.

"I'll start with the Neil incident," Ivan said. "As you know by now, Neil was found in a room at the basement, which we have labeled the Dueling Room. The only known path to the room is accessible through Auroch's office. After some investigation, Sheba and I have also found another entrance. There is a cracked area of stone on the ground. When the rubble is removed, a very narrow passageway leads down. Upon descending, you need to duck your head to continue on. This path travels on for a rather long time, about a hundred yards. At the end there is a small opening. The area outside of this hole is at the side of HQ."

Auroch looked puzzled. "How did the hole get there in the first place?"

"Neil is a Venus Adept. Dante is a Mars Adept. Dante most likely used Burst to create a hole, but he wanted to keep it small. That way, we would not easily suspect the opening," Sheba explained.

"But how did that entire path get formed?" Auroch questioned.

"That's the scary part," Ivan said. "We don't know. Dante could not have repeatedly used Burst. The path walls are even and if explosive force was used, it would not be possible for such smooth surfaces. Our only theory is that the path has always been there."

"Alex," Sephirus suddenly said. The entire group looked at him with a strange expression.

"What?" Auroch said, even more confused.

"He used Aqua Tunnel," Sephirus said. "It's the only way. Certain Mercury Adepts can use that Psynergy. A powerful stream of water is summoned, which corrodes through almost anything in its way. Alex must have controlled this current to form the path.

"But why would Alex want to do that?" Isaac said. He was now utterly confused, as was everyone else.

There was thing for sure, though. Sephirus was essential to solving this mystery. 


	3. The Midnight Assassin

Okay, before you read this and get confused, this chapter is about a character that will play a MAJOR role in the rest of the story. This whole chapter is about said character. Also… the ending is kind of gruesome. That's why it's rated PG-13.

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**Chapter 3: The ****Midnight**** Assassin**

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His heavy boots crunched the dirt beneath him as he walked. His polished, golden staff glinted off the light of the moon. His dark, long cloak concealed his body, making him seem like a shadow walking across the pitch-black field. He kept his head tightly hidden under his roomy hood. His trained eyes scanned the area around him. The wind was howling. Thunder was booming in the distance. And still, the man pressed on.

When he reached midpoint of the open area, he stopped. He stood motionless as if he had become part of the foliage, standing just as still as a blade of grass. Slowly, he raised his right hand to the sky. He snapped his fingers. But it was no ordinary snap. The sound produced from the action was as if a thousand boulders had crashed into the ground. The boom lasted for but a second. Then she came.

The howling and screeching of the wyvern was heard vividly throughout the sky. She zoomed through the skies, beating her powerful wings up and down in a steady motion. She ascended higher and pulled a flip, then dived towards the ground. When she was a few feet from landing, she pulled up again and darted in the air once more. Although the night did not make her visible, if it she was in broad daylight her red scales would gleam proudly. Her brilliant green eyes would strike fear into even the most hardened of warriors. Her sharp, fierce teeth could crush almost any substance. Eventually after she was done with her aerial show, she landed right next to the mystical man.

"Thank you, Nethyrz," the man whispered into her ear.

He soon mounted the wyvern. He leaned over and whispered to the creature.

"Seltas."

With those words spoken, the beast began her flight. She beat her wings with intense strength, blowing away the grass around them. She gained momentum and was finally airborne. She dashed ahead, her wings beating fiercely. The man held on and the due sped in the night sky. Her tail waved as she bobbed up and down during flight. Her legs dangled and arms in the air, her sharp claws shining in the moonlight. She opened her mouth and let out a screech that pierced the sky.

They flew onwards, reaching their destination. 

"Stay. Hover in the air. We do not approach yet," said the man. His voice was gruff but smooth as he said it in a very serious tone.

Nethyrz stayed stationary in the air right by the small village of Seltas. The man looked closely at the village, admiring every detail. After about thirty minutes, he gave the order to land.

Nethyrz charged at the center of the village. She flapped her wings as hard as she could to gain maximum speed. She appeared to be a bullet shooting through the sky. She skidded for a few feet as she landed and then reached a halt. 

"Nice job," the man said to his flyer. He dismounted her.

Within two minutes, the landing had caused a commotion in town. Men charged out of a nearby house, shouting phrases such as "Kill the intruders!" or "Do not let them escape!" They wielded sticks and clubs, a few of them had a rake. 

"Silly commoners…" the man said in a cold voice. 

He revealed his magical, golden staff from deep inside his cloak. His crisp hands grasped the rod. At the end of the rod was a ruby red ball with earthen brown, ocean blue and amethyst purple swirls. The colors appeared to be a liquid as they moved about and swirled. He raised his arm back with his staff. He muttered a few words under his breath and twirled his weapon, and then thrust it out.

The peasants stopped in their tracks and gazed in amazement. Before they knew what happened, they were all dead. A bolt of what appeared to be electricity was shot out, but it was red in color. The men were instantly electrocuted and dropped to the ground. However, soon the sparks flowing through their body caused a fire. All that was left was a burning pile of corpses. The man smirked and moved down the village road. The cries of women and children did not even faze him. This man could feel no pain.

As he continued down the road, a few more peasants relentlessly attacked him. With a few more words muttered and a twirl of the staff, the assassin slew them all. Each spell he conjured was different, and each held magnificent power. He seemed to mixing the power of Alchemy itself. 

At last he reached the end of the road. It appeared to be a dead end. Now there was rain pouring down, and thunder continued to boom. The trees swayed in the vigorous wind. The man reached out his arm and felt the stone wall that was in front of him. He felt each crack and crevice carefully, searching for a clue. His hardened fingers ran down the smooth, wet surface of the unusually polished rock. When he reached a certain spot, he stopped. He rubbed his hand in a circular pattern and muttered a few more words. To finish up the ritual, he tapped the area with the tip of his staff.

Miraculously, the stone began to glow a bright, bright white. The entire wall sparkled and sizzled. The stone itself began to split. With a huge cracking noise the wall was completely split. He entered the newly formed passageway.

The mysterious figure walked down the cold, dark passage. The walls were dripping with a substance he did not know. He looked up and saw a few bats hanging upside down, even though most bats sleeps during the day. All along the walls were strange markings and symbols which even he did not know how to interpret. Eventually he reached a set of stone stairs carved into the ground, heading downwards. He slowly descended the flight of stairs.

At the end he found himself in an empty room purely carved into the earth. At the center was a small pedestal. He approached the stand and checked it. There was an indent in the rock, in the shape of an oval. It appeared to hold a stone of some sort. But nothing was in it.

The man let out a fury of vulgar curses. Obviously he had been searching for the thing that was here. With a furious thrust full of anger and frustration, he pounded his staff into the ground which created a strong vibration. Again he cursed, even more profane than the last round.

He heard footsteps. Slowly he lifted his head and titled it to the side. His eyes were fixed on a man. The assassin stayed completely still.

"Who are you?" the new figure said. 

"My name does not matter. All that matters is your death."

"What the hell…" the new man said as he backed up. He had extreme worry and nervousness in his voice. He backed up until he was pressed against a wall.

The Midnight Assassin raised his staff back. He muttered a string of what seemed to be gibberish and did some quick flips and twirls with his staff, and then thrust it out.

A horrible moaning was brought forth. The moaning got louder and louder each second, increasing in intensity. The victim could hold it no more. He screamed out loud as he saw a ghastly figure appear from the staff. The wispy ghost swirled out and took the form of a hideous demon. The demon savagely attacked the man, killing him with a single swipe of his claws. But he didn't stop there. It continued to pummel the innocent victim, showing no mercy in its furious attacks. The mangled corpse slumped on the ground. The demon then ate the man, pulling the tendons and flesh apart and taking in the human parts.

"Sazurite," said the man. His name was Sazurite.


	4. THe Hologram

This is a weird chapter. Not much happens. It's really short. In my opinion, boring. Oh well. The next one is MUCH better. Trust me.

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**Chapter 4: The Hologram**

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_Our adventure has only just begun. So many things are out there, waiting to be discovered. Take Alex, for instance. What happened to him? Everyone believes he is still alive… out there… somewhere. If he did make that tunnel, what was his motivation? Where is he now? Why did he leave in the first place? I guess only time will tell._

_Another thing: What about those four blades? None of our researchers have been able to uncover any information about them. In the whole wide world of Weyard, they could be anywhere. News has broken out that the Dark Paladins have gained information on where the Alchemy Sanctum is, but that may just be a lie to fool us._

_As for things here in the headquarters, everything seems to be well. Everyone is staying on task and no trouble has been caused. What I'm currently doing is finding information on the Alchemy Sanctum. After all, it is essential to creating the Alchemy Blade. So far, I've found out it was built by three divine beings, one of which is the Wise One. I haven't exactly named the other two. I have uncovered an ancient drawing of all three gods together. However, one of the figures is completely obscured and I cannot identify it. Obviously one figure is the Wise One. The other character is a human. From what I can tell, it is a male. He has long hair, almost touching his feet. He is dressed in a full suit of armor with a massive sword by his side. This thing is huge, believe me. That's all I could depict; the picture was without color and not very clear. _

_The sanctum itself is a giant puzzle, full of many traps and dead ends. After all the hazards are overcome, there is a great room in the heart of the temple. There are four pedestals, in which each blade is placed. One giant pedestal is located in the middle of all the other pedestals, and this is where the Alchemy Blade is formed._

_That's all I have for now. I will record my future findings in this notebook._

Auroch put his quill pen down. Some of the black ink dripped onto the paper he was writing. He quickly moved it aside, and then opened his case and dropped the pen in. He closed his notebook and put it in his desk. He moved his chair further out and reclined. He closed his eyes and began to relax. With deep breaths and in a sense of pure tranquility, this moment was very peaceful. After a few more minutes of rest, he woke up again. He got out of his chair and walked out of his office. 

He took a few steps down the hallway when Ivan came running down the opposite end of the hall.

"AUROCH!!! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I FOUND!!!" Ivan shouted as he sprinted down the remaining length of the hall. He was holding a small metallic stone in his hand. Panting, he reached Auroch and came to a halt.

"Ivan, what? What's going on?" Auroch said. He didn't expect this to happen.

"I fo- I foun- I found," Ivan said, his speech interrupted by his energy consumed from running. He took some more breaths and regained his energy. "I found evidence of Alex. It's here, all in this stone. Alex recorded a message in this."

"Come into my office. We'll watch it in private there," Auroch said.

They began to walk back to Auroch's office. Auroch pulled out his key and twisted the knob, and the two walked in. Auroch sat down in his chair while Ivan put the stone on his desk. 

"It's one of those stones that hold a hologram," Ivan said. "I found it upon further inspection of that tunnel we found the other day."

'Well, go head and show it," Auroch said. He was getting a little impatient.

"Sure thing."

Ivan rubbed the smooth stone and soon it began to glow. A beautiful, bright blue aura was being emitted. Slowly the light thinned and Alex's figure came into view. He began to talk.

"If you are listening to this message, you have uncovered the secret tunnel I have formed. Congratulations to you, Sherlock. 

"Also if you are listening to this message, I have 'mysteriously' left the Silver Sages. I have no regrets. I have joined the Dark Paladins. They know what is going on. They have the perfect plan. I have left this puny excuse for a group and joined the true winners.

"Each day we come closer and closer to controlling Alchemy. Neil is a truly brilliant man. I hope I can one day achieve half the greatness he possesses. 

"If you are listening to this message, you are most likely shocked. What, can't believe your 'respectable, honorable leader' has joined the 'bad guys'? Get over it, you wimp. You are too stubborn to realize how weak the Silver Sages are, and how triumphant the Dark Paladins have become. 

"The Silver Sages will die at the hands of the Dark Paladins. I guarantee that."

Alex slowly faded away. The light weakened until it was completely gone. The stone was back to normal.

"That son of a bitch! Just who the hell does he think he is?" Auroch screamed out. His face was red with rage. 

"I see Alex's prediction has come true," Ivan said, laughing.

"Just shut the hell up, Ivan. You're not the one who has to deal with this shit. Things aren't looking so good for us now. The Dark Paladins have some of the strongest Adepts in all of history. We are going to need serious planning to beat them."

"I hope you can think of something."

"I will. The Dark Paladins will die at the hands of the Silver Sages. I guarantee that."


	5. The Attack

This is a cool chapter, or so I think. I hope you like it. It may be confusing in some parts, but all will be explained in due time. I worked really hard on this, and it's really long, so take your time and enjoy it.

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**Chapter 5: The Attack**

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Dante stealthily moved down the paved road in front of the Silver Sages HQ. He darted in a zigzagging pattern, hiding behind the nearest trees for a few seconds, and then dashing to the next closest tree. He stayed utterly silent in his mission. He continued to move up the road in this fashion, until he was in the shelter of the last remaining tree. He looked up at the sky. It was dark out, around eleven o'clock. The moon was gone. He had planned this attack for the new moon to ensure he wouldn't be seen. Surveying the area for the final time, he quickly moved to the door. He stood in front of it, examining it. Although he hated to say it, the Silver Sages did have a magnificent headquarters.

The door was rather large, about ten feet tall. It was shaded in a deep blue tone. Silver markings detailed the door in an intricate pattern. There was a large, pure silver knocker placed in the middle. The knocker was in the shape of the head of a falcon. Dante decided not to knock.

He brought his hand down to the djinn pouch at his side. Dante was mastered at the art of djinn; although he was a sub-par swordsmen and Psynergest his skills with djinn were unmatched. He fumbled with the tightly knotted strings, until he finally untied them. He reached his hand inside and grabbed a djinni from his assortment, searching for the right one. At last he got a hold of the one for the job.

He brought out Core, a Mars djinni. He held the creature in his outstretched hand, resting on the palm. Dante said things to the little animal telepathically, sending it signals on how to attack. The djinni nodded to show it understood, and then fluttered out from Dante's hand.

The djinni swirled around the air for a few seconds and then charged at the door. It crashed into the door, full force. Luckily, no sound was emitted. The djinni then began working its powers. The spot where it had struck began to glow a faint red. Hastily the spot intensified in color until it was a searing red. The patch suddenly turned into scorching hot lava. The liquid drizzled down the door, and then shot out in tendrils up the sides and top. The center still continued to produce more and more lava and sending it all over the door until it was time.

The lava began to burn through the door. The metal melted under the sheer heat of the lava, liquefying and dropping to the ground, then instantly evaporated. The metal sizzled as it was burned apart section by section, until there was nothing left. The fabulous door, now gone, revealed the entrance to the headquarters. Core flew back to its master. Dante tossed the little creature into his bag.

Dante kept the bag open, and reached his hand again. He searched around, and then finally grabbed onto the djinni he needed. He pulled Flare out of his bag. Flare actually was very different from all the other djinn. It wasn't made by nature. Dante had been experimenting djinn breeding. He managed to produce Flare, the only successful offspring. By tinkering with the genetics of the parents, he had created a one of a kind djinni- one that doesn't attack. 

Sending a quick telepathic message to Flare, he grasped the djinni in his hand and threw him as high as he could. The creature fluttered in the air, flying higher and higher. At the apex of his flight, he burst into an extreme burst of crimson-red light. Dante had to cover his eyes; the light was too strong. After about five seconds or so, Flare hovered down to the ground and headed to Dante, who then put him back in the bag.

"That's the signal!" said a Dark Paladin officer hiding a small distance away from the Silver Sages HQ. "Move out, everyone! We attack NOW!"

The soldiers marched out from their hiding spot. It was a rather small army, about a hundred fighters. The first several rows were comprised of sword, axe, and mace fighters. In a single row behind them was a group of healers. There were two more rows of axe wielders. Behind them were about three rows of offensive spell casters. In the back there was a single row of djinn masters. They marched up the road until they saw Dante.

Dante came running down to his army. He took his spot in the very front of the assault.

"Okay, you all know the drill. Destroy as much as you can. Kill as many as possible. We are searching for nothing. However, if you do come across anything, confiscate it and return to me at the end of the fight. I have succeeded in taking down the door. Officers, command your group and your group only. If you see any high members, such as Auroch or Isaac, take them out as soon as possible."

The entire group nodded, but then Dante spoke again.

"Felix, you wish to assassinate Isaac, right?" Dante said, turned towards Felix, in the front row. "Do so. Only focus on him. Search for him. Kill him."

"Thank you, sir. I have something I must settle with him," Felix said, bowing. He readied his Sol Blade at his side.

"Troops, LET'S DO THIS!!!"

The entire army shouted out in unison, "DARK PALADINS!!!" They charged at the HQ, swords and staves held high. The soldiers screamed liked barbarians. 

All the spell casters began to launch spells at the HQ; Fume, Beam, Flare, Fireball were some from Mars, Venus cast Quake, Spire, and Gaia, to name a few. Jupiter and Mercury sent out Plasma, Douse, Whirlwind, and Frost, but that was only the beginning of their terror.

The walls of the HQ began to crumble. The combined might of all the spells, as well as the fury of djinn was too much. Venus Psynergy tore apart the foundation, Mercury liquefied and froze the stone, Jupiter blew it over, and Mars burned the remains to a crisp. The entire attack rallied all the troops, and they began to shout even louder.

Things did not look good for the Silver Sages. 

The attackers headed in, killing as many as possible. Many lives were lost to the steel blades. The assault continued on, annihilating the forces. The Silver Sages retaliated as best as possible, but resistance was futile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Auroch was doing his best to cope with the attacking forces. He hastily sent out his troops, giving them skimpy orders to just satisfy the defense for one more minute. The soldiers headed out into the fray, representing the Silver Sages. 

The Dark Paladins conquered on.

"Auroch, what the hell are we supposed to do?!?!" Isaac screamed out. Everything was in turmoil. Everyone was panicked.

"I don't know! I don't know! Nobody was expecting this!" Auroch screamed back. He was extremely worried about everything.

"Well do something, YOU MORON! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!"

"But what? THERE'S A FREAKING ARMY OUT THERE!!!"

"YOU IDIOT!!! SUMMON IRIS! YOU MORON! YOU IDIOT!!! SUMMON THE FREAKING SUMMON!!!!" Isaac screamed out. Veins began to pop out of his neck.

"What the… oh yeah… I do have Iris! I'll go summon it now," Auroch said calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Isaac wore a face of disbelief. He slouched, and couldn't believe how stupid Auroch was acting. He shrugged. 

Auroch ran out, the entire building crumbling. He had to dodge the falling stones. Everywhere he went he saw soldiers fighting. Some Dark Paladins tried to take Auroch out, but he easily fended them off with his sword. He then came to the battleground.

It was pure hell.

Blood and body parts were flying everywhere. The two sides were fighting viciously. The spell casters were casting the most terrible spells, killing large masses of people. Physical fighters on both sides were hacking everybody up. The djinn users were wreaking havoc, destroying insurmountable lives.

Auroch stayed back. He began to untie his djinn pouch. He then took out four of his Mercury djinn and nine of his Mars. Dante saw what Auroch was doing. Dante ran as fast as he could, but his troops continued to fight. Dante was now gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I've finally found you… Isaac."

Isaac turned around. His jaw dropped in disbelief at what he say.

"F-Felix?" Isaac said, slightly trembling.

"Yes. It is me," Felix said. He slowly unsheathed his Sol Blade. "I've got something to settle with you."

"What? What? Felix, what's going on? What did I do?" Isaac said. He had now pulled out his weapon, the Gaia Blade [NOT the Legendary one] and was holding it by his side.

"You know what you did. I will never forgive you," Felix said. He had now crossed his sword in front of his body, in a fighting pose. 

"No I don't! Just tell me what the hell is going on!" Isaac got into a fighting pose as he spoke, sword crossed in front.

"Saturos… Menardi…" Felix said softly. Isaac could not hear him. Felix had his head bent. He suddenly snapped his head up. His eyes glared at Isaac with a look of hatred. Without warning, he charged.

Felix dashed at Isaac, his sword outstretched high in the air. He brought it down on the unsuspecting Isaac. With pure instinct, Isaac managed to parry the attack. The two metal blades clanged, sending a chill through the competitors. Felix quickly spun to the left and tried to strike Isaac, but Isaac had mimicked Felix. Felix's sword met Isaac's, creating another clang. They were engaged in fierce combat. The sound of metal on metal filled the room. 

Felix pulled at stab at Isaac, but Isaac pulled a back flip off. He landed a few feet back. Felix charged at the crouching Adept. Isaac valiantly jumped straight into the air, causing Felix to trip and fall. He angled his sword so it was pointing straight down. He would pierce straight through Felix. Luckily for Felix, he regained his senses and rolled out of the way. 

Again, the two clashed weapons. The duel became more and more intense. Isaac and Felix had now locked swords. They were pushing with all their might to overcome the other. Isaac had prevailed. He pushed Felix onto the ground. Before Felix could retaliate, Isaac ran up to the downed Felix. He pointed his sword right at Felix's throat. He gently pushed down.

"Don't move," Isaac said fiercely. He was burning with rage. Felix just stared back. They stayed silent for minutes.

Then Felix made his move. He snaked backwards slightly and bucked out, like a disturbed donkey would kick at the victim. He managed to knock Isaac's sword out of his hand. Felix followed up and punched Isaac strong in the face, knocking him down. Felix ran out of the building.

Isaac lay on the ground, his face bloody and bruised.

"What the hell?" Isaac said. He could not believe what was happening.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Auroch released his djinn. The creatures flew to the sky right above the battleground. The djinn combined their powers and collided. Iris was being called.

The area where the djinn had combined turned into a small ball of light. Beams of intense, white light began to flow from the sky and crash into the ball of light. The ball increased rapidly in size. Auroch had to squint to see what was happening. 

The ball transformed into a magnificent girl. She had a long dress bursting with colors. Her beauty was unmatched. All the fighters stopped and looked at the outstanding sight. They looked in awe as she began her attack.

Iris called upon a huge number of white beams. They struck all the Dark Paladins in the area. The soldiers screamed as they were floating high into the sky. The maiden ascended higher, brining her prey with her. Within a matter of minutes she was deep in space. She was a very short distance away from an extremely bright star. Focusing her energy, she sent her victims flying straight towards the star. They hurtled towards the ball of fire at an extreme speed. Upon impact red shockwaves were created, along with massive explosions. Every single one of the once alive Dark Paladin in the battleground was now dead. Iris had worked her offensive magic, now she needed to tend to her defensive side. She fluttered down to the battleground and looked solemnly at the fallen and wounded soldiers. 

She raised her hands and sang a prayerful song. Her voice was truly stunning. As she sung, she moved her arms in patterns. A golden light had been brought force. The light swept across the area, fully healing and reviving every Silver Sage in the vicinity.

Then she disappeared.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The entire Silver Sages headquarters was in ruins. Auroch was thankful all the lives that had been lost were regained, but there was the matter of location at hand. Where would everyone go?


	6. The Decision

This chapter is… not my best work. I rushed it. Because of what just happened recently in the story, I am at a somewhat tough time to move on. Not to mention the fact that I have writers' block. I'm also really busy lately which made me hurry through this chapter. I've kept it mostly conversation and did not do my best. I didn't really describe things and just kept to the talking, which I figure what I should do at this point in time. Please don't be disappointed.

****

**Chapter 6: The Decision**

****

Dante hurried down the road, sweating profusely and panting rapidly. He was heading to the Dark Paladins HQ as quickly as possible. Neil would most likely be very pleased, but also furious at the casualties caused by Iris. Dante, however, was proud that he and the army he controlled had completely demolished the headquarters of the enemy. 

Eventually Dante reached the malevolent, dark, looming castle that was home to the Dark Paladins. Not pausing at all, Dante quickly ran up to the entrance and thrust the doors opened. He headed directly towards Neil's office, and went inside hastily.

"Neil! What I have accomplished is truly a work of the Dark Paladins," Dante exclaimed.

Neil kept a blank expression. "Tell me this, Dante, what is so stunning?"

"Well gee, I don't know, I mean… I really don't know if I should tell you…" Dante replied, slightly smiling.

"Just tell me the information, you damn fool!" Neil viciously shouted as he whacked Dante on the head.

"Fine… I've demolished the Silver Sages headquarters."

"You WHAT?!"

"Yeah. We totally crushed them. Nothing is left of the HQ. We burned it to the ground, tore it apart, everything. Not to mention we have killed quite a few Sages."

"I'm very, very pleased with this work, Dante."

"Thank you, sir."

"But wait… where is that army that went with you?"

"…They… uhh… Auroch summoned Iris in the heat of the battle, and I saw what he was doing, so I escaped, and it was too late to warn the troops, and um…. They all died."

"So what you're saying is that no Sages died, because Iris just revived them?"

"Well, we DID kill them… but they came back to life."

"So the only thing you accomplished was destroying the headquarters?"

"Um… pretty much."

"Good enough. Without defense, those Sages will fall to our might. Tomorrow, give the words to your best stealth soldiers to search around and assassinate as many as possible."

"Alright, sir. I will do that. And we will conquer."

"Good."

"Neil, may I ask one question?"

"Depends on what it is, you dolt."

"It's about our main mission."

"Carry on."

"Do we have any information on the Blades, and do we have a plan?"

"I won't tell you our plan. But we did find something out about the 'Gaia' Blade."

"May you inform me?"

"It's not the Gaia Blade."

"Then what is it?"

"That's the false name. It's not the real name."

"Then the real name is…?"

"The Earthen Blade."

"How did we get the name 'Gaia Blade', then?"

"It was a misinterpretation in the scriptures by ancient scholars."

"Oh. That makes sense. Do the Silver Sages know about this?"

"No. They don't. Only you, me, and Piers know this."

"Awesome."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Auroch gathered up all the Silver Sages into one large group. When all was silent, he spoke.

"Everyone, the Silver Sages are in a state of emergency. The Dark Paladins have surmounted our current forces in a surprise attack, and have rid us of our headquarters. I know this is difficult, but we must pull through and conquer. Now that we have no place for shelter, we must be extremely careful. We will live a different life from here on out. We do not have the time and resources to build a new headquarters. What we need to do is live scattered. We cannot gather anymore. Find a friend, family member, or anyone else to live with. You don't even need a house. Just find shelter in a town. Do something. Somehow, stay alive."

The group stayed silent. No one knew what was going on.

"I will further explain this tomorrow."

Auroch gestured for Sephirus to come to him. Auroch said something to Sephirus.

"Assassinate Dante."


End file.
